Illuminated signs for vehicles, mounting systems therefor and related methods

ABSTRACT

A self-contained illuminated sign for mounting on a vehicle is disclosed. The sign includes a front panel, a rear panel situated opposite and substantially parallel to the front panel in spaced relation therefrom to define a space therebetween, and a light source comprising a plurality of LEDs. The light source is positioned between the front and rear panels and is configured to emit light that emanates from the front panel. The front panel is thus backlit to display indicia. A system for supporting a self-contained illuminated sign on a vehicle is also disclosed. The system includes the sign and a separate mounting frame mountable on a vehicle. The mounting frame is configured to removably receive the sign and, when the sign is received in the mounting frame, to surround a perimeter of the sign while permitting visibility of the front display area. Related methods are also disclosed.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application claims priority from U.S. Patent ApplicationSer. No. 62/637,173, entitled “SELF-CONTAINED ILLUMINATED SCHOOL BUSSIGNS”, filed on Mar. 1, 2018, and U.S. Patent Application Ser. No.62/756,882, entitled “SELF-CONTAINED ILLUMINATED SCHOOL BUS SIGNS”,filed on Nov. 7, 2018, which are incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD

The present invention relates generally to illuminated signs formounting to vehicles, such as school buses and other purpose-specificvehicles, mounting systems therefor and related methods.

BACKGROUND

In the interest of optimizing the visual recognition of vehicles, suchas school buses, in low light conditions or adverse weather conditions,it has been known to improve the visibility of signage on the vehiclesby using a light-reflective backdrop behind black lettering. Thissolution relies on exposure to external light sources such as streetlights or headlights of other vehicles.

Other known solutions require assembly of a hollow compartment with thevehicle structure to accommodate a plurality of incandescent bulbs,along with installation of a glass panel with opaque lettering in aposition overlying the bulb-illuminated compartment.

Other known illuminated signs use similar incandescent illumination, forexample placing a similar transparent panel with printed indicia at thefront of the vehicle over the windshield with a row of incandescentbulbs supported behind the panel on a separate light bar. Another knownmethod of illuminating signs employs a strip of lights mountedexternally above or below the lettering on the sign. This method isincapable of providing a notable uniformity of light dispersionthroughout the full display area of the sign.

There remains room for improved and alternative solutions in the fieldof illuminated signage for vehicles.

SUMMARY

In one aspect, there is provided a self-contained illuminated sign fordirect or indirect mounting on a vehicle, the sign comprising: a frontpanel; an opaque rear panel situated opposite and substantially parallelto the front panel in spaced relation therefrom to define a spacetherebetween; and a light source comprising a plurality of LEDs, thelight source being positioned in the space between the front and rearpanels and configured to emit light that emanates from the front panelsuch that, in operation, the front panel is backlit to display indicia.

In another aspect, there is provided a system for supporting aself-contained illuminated sign on a vehicle, the system comprising: aself-contained illuminated sign having: a front display area, and abuilt-in light source configured to emit light that emanates from thefront display area such that, in operation, the front display areadisplays indicia; and a separate mounting frame mountable on a vehiclefor supporting the sign on the vehicle, the mounting frame beingconfigured to removably receive the sign and, when the sign is receivedin the mounting frame, to surround a perimeter of the sign whilepermitting visibility of the front display area.

In another aspect, there is provided a self-contained illuminationsource for an illuminated vehicle sign, the illumination sourcecomprising in stacked relationship: an opaque rear panel; a lightdispersion panel affixed to the rear panel; and one or more LED stripspositioned in edge lighting relationship with the light dispersionpanel.

In another aspect, there is provided an illuminated sign system for amotor vehicle, the system comprising: a self-contained illuminated signfor direct or indirect external mounting on the motor vehicle, the signhaving: a front display area, and a built-in light source comprising aplurality of LEDs configured to emit light that emanates from the frontdisplay area such that, in operation, the front display area displaysindicia; and a power regulator system for providing a desired power tothe sign for consistent illumination, the power regulator system beingconfigured to accept fluctuating power from an electrical system of thevehicle and to output the desired power.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Aspects and embodiment of the invention will now be described inconjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is an exploded front isometric view of a self-containedilluminated sign according to the present disclosure.

FIG. 2 is an assembled front elevational view of the sign of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a partial cross-sectional view of the sign of FIG. 2 as takenalone line A-A thereof.

FIG. 4 is an isometric front view of the sign of FIG. 2 during placementthereof within a separate mounting frame, which is shown in an explodedstate.

FIG. 5 is an isometric rear view of the sign and mounting frame of FIG.4.

FIG. 6 is an isometric cross-sectional view of the sign and mountingframe of FIG. 4 once fully assembled, the sign being shown withoutcross-sectional detail for illustrative simplicity.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged view of the assembled sign and mounting frame ofFIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a front end of a vehicle on which theassembled sign and mounting frame of FIG. 6 has been installed.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a rear end of a vehicle on which theassembled sign and mounting frame of FIG. 6 has been installed.

FIG. 10A is a front view of a sign according to one embodiment of thepresent disclosure.

FIG. 10B is a side view of the sign of FIG. 10A.

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a portion of a sign according to oneembodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 12 is a rear view of a portion of the sign of FIG. 11.

FIG. 13A is a top view of a sign according to one embodiment of thepresent disclosure.

FIG. 13B is a front view of the sign of FIG. 13A.

FIG. 14A is a top view of a sign according to one embodiment of thepresent disclosure.

FIG. 14B is a front view of the sign of FIG. 14A.

FIG. 15 is a front view of a sign according to one embodiment of thepresent disclosure.

FIG. 16 is an exploded perspective view of a sign assembly according toone embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 17 is an exploded perspective view of a sign assembly according toone embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 18 is a perspective view of a sign assembly according to oneembodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 19 is a close up view of a portion of FIG. 18.

FIG. 20 is a perspective view of a sign assembly according to oneembodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 21 is a perspective view of the sign assembly of FIG. 20 installedin a vehicle.

FIG. 22 is a perspective view of a sign assembly according to oneembodiment of the present disclosure installed in a vehicle.

FIG. 23 is a perspective view of a sign assembly according to oneembodiment of the present disclosure installed in a vehicle.

FIG. 24 is a cross-sectional view of a sign assembly according to oneembodiment of the present disclosure installed in a vehicle.

FIG. 25 is a cross-sectional view of a sign assembly according to oneembodiment of the present disclosure installed in a vehicle.

FIG. 26 is a cross-sectional view of a sign assembly according to oneembodiment of the present disclosure installed in a vehicle.

FIG. 27 is a cross-sectional view of a mounting option for a signassembly according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 28A is a front view of a sign assembly according to one embodimentof the present disclosure.

FIG. 28B is a side view of the sign assembly of FIG. 28A.

FIG. 28C is a close up of a hinge portion of the sign assembly of FIG.28A.

FIG. 29A is a front view of the sign assembly of FIG. 28A in a closedposition.

FIG. 29B is a side view of the sign assembly of FIG. 28A in a closedposition.

FIG. 29C is a close up of the hinge portion of the sign assembly of FIG.28A in a closed position.

FIG. 30A is a front view of a sign assembly according to one embodimentof the present disclosure.

FIG. 30B is a side view of the sign assembly of FIG. 30A.

FIG. 31A is a rear view of a sign assembly according to one embodimentof the present disclosure.

FIG. 31B is a perspective view of a frame and sign mounted to a vehicleaccording to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 31C is a close up of a portion of FIG. 31B.

FIG. 31D is a further close up of a portion of FIG. 31B.

FIG. 31E is an exploded view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 31B.

FIG. 31F is an exploded view of a frame and sign mounted to a vehicleaccording to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 31G is an exploded view of a frame and sign mounted to a vehicleaccording to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 32 is an exploded perspective view of a sign according to oneembodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 33 is an exploded perspective view of a sign according to oneembodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 34 is an exploded perspective view of a sign according to oneembodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 35 is an exploded perspective view of a sign according to oneembodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 36 is an exploded perspective view of a sign according to oneembodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 37 is an exploded perspective view of a sign according to oneembodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 38 is an exploded perspective view of a sign according to oneembodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 39 is an exploded perspective view of a sign according to oneembodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 40 is an exploded perspective view of a sign according to oneembodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 41 is a front view of a sign according to one embodiment of thepresent disclosure installed in a vehicle.

FIG. 42 is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A in FIG. 41.

FIG. 43 is an exploded perspective view of an illuminated sign systemaccording to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 44 is a diagram of a power regulator system according to oneembodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 45 is diagram of a module of a power regular system according toone embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 46 is diagram of a module of a power regular system according toone embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 47 is diagram of a module of a power regular system according toone embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 48 is an exploded perspective view of a sign according to oneembodiment of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following description describes embodiments according to the presentdisclosure in detail. It is to be understood that, while manyembodiments are described as and show a sign for school buses or othersimilar activity vehicles, the principles described and disclosed hereinmay be applicable to a variety of illuminated signs used on vehicles,including, but not limited to, trucks (including ambulances and firetrucks), cars (including taxis), boats, ships, airplanes, etc. Thus, useof the terms bus, “school bus”, “school bus sign” and other similarterms are not to be limiting of the scope of the present disclosure.

FIGS. 1 to 3 illustrate a self-contained illuminated sign according toone embodiment of the present invention, which is usable together with aseparate mounting frame described herein further below to enablemounting of the sign 10 to the shell of a vehicle, such as a school bus.

FIG. 1 is an exploded view of the sign illustrating its constituentcomponents, including a front panel 12, an opposing rear panel 14 ofsimilar or equal size and shape to the front panel 12, a lightdispersion panel 16 of similar shape and slightly smaller size than thefront and rear panels for sandwiched receipt therebetween, LED lightstrips 18 for illuminating the light dispersion panel 16, and areflective backing sheet 19 of similar shape and slightly smaller sizethan the light dispersion panel 16 for placement therebehind and infront of the rear panel 14. Illuminated by the LED light strips 18, thelight dispersion panel 16 forms a built-in LED-based light source forbacklighting the front panel 12, which includes opaquely masked areasforming blacked-out indicia 20 of appropriate wording for the intendedschool bus application of the sign.

In the illustrated example, the indicia 20 spell out the words “SchoolBus”. Other examples of indicia that are commonly used on school busesinclude “Activity Bus”, typically denoting a school bus that is used totransport students for extracurricular activities, field trips, sportingevents, etc., where the students are loaded and unloaded only atspecific start and stop destinations, as opposed to road-side studentpickups and drop offs that occur on a daily scheduled school bus route.Another example of suitable sign indicia is “Ecoliers”, the Frenchlanguage term used for school bus signage, which generally translates to“Students” or “Schoolchildren”. Accordingly, the particular writtenmessage conveyed by the indicia may identify the type of vehicle forwhich the sign is intended (e.g. School Bus, Activity Bus, etc.), or thetype passenger for which the vehicle is intended (Ecoliers, etc.).Activity buses are typically of similar overall construction to routedschool buses, but differ primarily in the lack of traffic warningequipment associated with road-side pickup and drop-off, such asswing-out stop signs, crossing arms, flashing warning lights, etc. Thegeneric term “School Bus” is thus used herein to encompass both activitybuses and warning-equipped school buses. In addition to “Ecoliers”,indicia printed in languages other than English and French may of courseby applied in different jurisdictions according to local languagestandards.

In the illustrated embodiment, the opaquely masked indicia 20 areencompassed by a surrounding transparent or translucent area 22 of thedisplay panel, which in turn is surrounded by an opaquely masked borderarea 24 that blacks out a margin space of the panel around the fullperimeter thereof. The transparent/translucent area 22 is tinted inyellow, white or other colour of notable contrast to the black ordarkened appearance of the opaquely masked areas, whether by manufactureof the front panel itself in coloured transparent/translucent materialor by application of a coloured film or coating material to the panel,whereby illumination of the light dispersion panel 16 behind the frontpanel 12 will emit light through the coloured transparent/translucentarea 22, but not through the blacked-out indicia and margin space at theopaquely masked areas 20, 24, whereby the blacked-out lettering of theindicia 20 is readily visible in low light conditions due to thebacklighting of the surrounding colour tinted area 22.

In some embodiments, the opaquely masked areas 20, 24, may be paintedwith retro-reflective paint or have a retro-reflective label or decal toimprove visibility in low light level conditions.

The light dispersion panel 16 of the illustrated embodiment has a set ofgrooves 26 a, 26 b, 26 c recessed in a front face thereof. In theillustrated example, the grooves run along three perimeter edges of thepanel 16, particularly along elongated top and bottom perimeter edges ofthe panel and one of the two shorter side perimeter edges of the panel.The illustrated embodiment features two LED light strips 18 a, 18 b. Thefirst light strip 18 a resides in the upper groove 26 a situatedadjacent the top edge of the panel 16, and the second light strip 18 bresides in the lower groove 26 b situated adjacent the bottom edge ofthe panel 16. Connection wiring 28 between the two LED light strips 18a, 18 b occupies the third groove 26 c situated adjacent the sideperimeter edge of the panel. The LEDs of each strip face inwardly towardthe center of the light dispersion panel 16, away from the respectiveperimeter edge thereof. The grooves reside closely adjacent theperimeter edges of the panel 16, whereby a substantial majority of thepanel's overall area is located inwardly of the grooves. Activation ofthe LEDs when connected to a suitable power source will thus emit lightinwardly away from the adjacent edge of the panel, and thus illuminatethe major central area of the panel 16.

While in some embodiments the panel 16 is backlit to display the opaqueindicia in contrast with surrounding transparent or translucent areas,in other embodiments the panel 16 is backlit to display illuminatedindicia in contrast with surrounding opaque areas.

Mounted inside the grooves near the edges of the panel, the LEDs areplaced in edge-lighting relation to the panel 16, but in an embeddedmanner recessed into the face of the panel 16 itself, thus avoiding theneed for an extruded frame or other LED support means spanningexternally around the perimeter of the panel 16. The light dispersionpanel and its embedded LEDs thus form a frameless, edge-lit backlightingunit for emitting light through the yellow-tintedtransparent/translucent area 22 of the front panel 12. Use of an LEDedge-lit light dispersion panel 16 to backlight the front panel 12 ofthe sign may provide improved uniformity of illumination relative toprior art placement of incandescent lights in exposed relation behindthe sign indicia, and may eliminate the need for separate means formounting such large-scale incandescent bulbs behind the indicia-carryingdisplay panel. The blacked-out margin space of the masked border area 24is wide enough to fully cover the grooves 26 a, 26 b, 26 c in the lightdispersion panel 16, and thus conceal the LEDs contained therein fromdirect exposure through the front panel 12. This way, only the uniformlyilluminated central area of the light dispersion panel 16 is visiblethrough the yellow-tinted transparent/translucent area 22 of the frontpanel 12.

The light dispersion panel 16 and the LEDs embedded therein are fullycontained within the space between the front and rear panels 12, 14 ofthe sign, as best shown in the cross-sectional view of FIG. 3. Turningback to FIG. 1, an electrical routing hole 32 a passes through the lightdispersion panel 16 from the front face 16 a thereof to the opposingrear face 16 b thereof at the groove 26 c that is occupied by theconnection wiring 28. This routing hole 32 a accommodates routing of theconnection wiring 28, or an electrical connector 30 coupled thereto,rearwardly through the light dispersion panel 16. Aligned electricalrouting holes 32 b, 32 c in the reflective backing sheet 19 and rearpanel 14 align with the routing hole 32 a in the light dispersion panel16 to accommodate further routing of the wiring 28 or connector 30rearwardly out the back of the sign. Outside the sign, the connector 30can be coupled to a suitable power adapter that will be wired into theelectrical system of the school bus on which the sign is eventuallyinstalled in order to provide suitable operating voltage for the LEDstrips.

To assemble the sign of the illustrated embodiment, first strips 34 ofdouble sided adhesive tape are applied to the front face 16 a of thelight dispersion panel 16, or the rear face 12 b of the front panel 12,in positions lying along and closely adjacent all perimeter edges ofthis panel. The first strips 34 of tape are placed close enough to theperimeter of the panels 12, 16 to reside in the margin space between thegrooves 26 a, 26 b, 26 c of the light dispersion panel 16 and theperimeter edges thereof. With the LED strips 18 a, 18 b and theconnection wiring 28 received in the respective grooves 26 a, 26 b, 26 cof the light dispersion panel 16, the rear face 12 b of the front panel12 and front face 16 a of the light dispersion panel are pressedtogether to achieve adhesive coupling via the adhesive tape 34.Likewise, second strips 36 of double sided adhesive tape are applied tothe front face 14 a of the rear panel 14 panel, or the rear face 16 b ofthe light dispersion panel 16, in positions lying along and closelyadjacent all perimeter edges of this panel. The front face 14 a of therear panel 14 and rear face 16 b of the light dispersion panel 16 arepressed together to achieve adhered coupling therebetween via theadhesive tape 36. In the illustrative embodiment, the adhesive stripsare positioned around perimeters of the panels to help ensure uniformadhesions and spacing between the panels.

With reference to FIG. 3, the reflective backing sheet 19 between thelight dispersion panel 16 and the rear panel 14 may be smaller than bothof these panels in order to fit within the area bound by the secondstrips 36 of adhesive tape. This way, in the illustrated embodiment, thelight dispersion panel 16 and rear panel 14 are directly coupledtogether by the adhesive tape 36 therebetween, not via the reflectivebacking sheet 19. An adhesive sealing strip 38 is wrapped around theperimeter of the light dispersion panel 16 that is now adhesivelysecured in the space between the front and rear panels 12, 14. Thesealing strip 38 has a width spanning the full distance between the rearface of the front panel 12 and the front face 14 a of the rear panel 14in order to effectively seal the internal space of the sign in which theedge-lit LED backlighting unit is contained. This aids in preventingexposure of the LEDs and associated wiring to the elements (rainwater,melted snow, etc.).

A secondary outer seal 40 is placed over the sealing strip 38 andembraces externally over the front and rear panels 12, 14 and theinterior space therebetween in resiliently stretched relation around theentire perimeter of the front and rear panels. The outer seal 40 has achannel-shaped cross-section with a front lip 42 embracing externallyover the front face 12 a of the front panel 12 in fluid-tight sealedrelation therewith, and a rear lip 44 embracing externally over the rearface 14 b of the rear panel 14 in fluid-tight sealed relation therewith.The external fitting of the outer seal over the front and rear panels12, 14 aids in providing improved weather-tight sealing of the sign'sinternal space relative to use of the inner sealing strip 38 alone.

In some embodiments, the weather-tight seal spans a perimeter of thesign and embraces internally the front and rear panels from a front faceof the rear panel to a rear face of the front panel.

The overall sign construction in the illustrated embodiment isframeless, as there is no metal or rigid plastic extrusion or frameworkassembled around the perimeter of the assembled panels 12, 14, 16, whichare instead adhesively interconnected in a sandwiched assembly, andoptionally further held in this assembled state by the flexible outerseal 40 whose channel-sectioned shape further prevents separation of theadhesively sandwiched panels.

To support the frameless sign 10 on a school bus, a separate mountingframe 50 is thus provided. With reference to FIGS. 4 to 6, the mountingframe 50 has a two-piece construction featuring a front sub-frame 52 anda cooperating rear sub-frame 54. When mated together, these sub-framescooperatively form an internal space in which the frameless sign 10 isinstalled to enable indirect support of the sign 10 on the shell of aschool bus by attachment of the mounting frame 50 thereto.

In the illustrated embodiment, the front sub-frame 52 has a skeletalstructure 56 that is shaped to generally conform with the perimetershape of the sign 10. The skeletal structure 56 has two upright sidemembers 58 that are joined together at their top and bottom ends by anupper cross-member 60 and a lower cross-member 62, respectively. In theillustrated embodiment, where the sign 10 is of generally rectangularshape with parallel top and bottom edges and parallel side edges, thetwo upright sides 58 of the skeletal structure 56 are likewise parallelwith one another, as are the upper and lower cross-members 60, 62. Thisskeletal structure of generally linear members in parallel pairs impartsa generally rectangular shape to the front sub-frame 52.

However, in other embodiments, the perimeter shape of the sign, and thusthe confirming perimeter shape of the front and rear sub frames of themounting frame, may vary, for example to adopt application-specificshapes dictated by available signage areas on the particular model ofschool bus concerned. The sides and cross-members of the front sub-frame52 therefore need not be of linear span, nor parallel with one another.Thus, it will be understood that a variety of possible shapes for frame50 are within the present disclosure and that the frame 50 may beconstructed to accommodate various shapes, size, dimensions,orientations and other attributes of the sign 10.

Moreover, in some embodiments, the skeletal structure 56 may becomprised of more individual components that have been fastened to eachother or otherwise connected. For example, the skeletal structure may bemade of top and bottom horizontal pieces, right and left-side verticalpieces, and corner pieces used to connect the vertical and horizontalpieces to form the skeletal structure 56.

Regardless of their particular shape and relative orientations, themembers of the skeletal structure cooperatively delimit an open windowspace 64 through which the front face 12 a of the front panel 12 of thesign 10 is visible when installed inside the mounting frame. In theillustrated embodiment, the skeletal structure of the front sub-frame 52is relatively thin so as not to notably obstruct the front panel of thesign. The open window space 64 of the front sub-frame 52 thus occupies asubstantial majority of its overall area.

The rear sub-frame 54 is not skeletal in structure, and instead featuresa solid backing plate 66 of generally conforming shape to the perimetershape of the sign. A rim 68 projects forwardly from the front side ofthe backing plate 66 around the full perimeter thereof. The uppercross-member 60 and sides 58 of the front sub-frame 52 each have agenerally L-shaped cross-section with an inwardly reaching leg juttinginwardly toward the open window space 64, and a rearwardly reaching legjutting rearwardly toward the plane of the rear sub-frame's backingplate 66. The upper rim 68 a spanning the topside of the rear sub-framefeatures a pair of hooked catch tabs 70, each situated near a respectiveend of the upper rim 68 a. The rearward leg of the upper cross-member 60of the front sub-frame 52 features a pair of slots 72 therein atpositions aligned with the hooked catch tabs 70 of the rear sub-frame54.

With reference to the upper half of FIG. 7, the two sub-frames 52, 54are pivotably coupled together by engagement of each hooked catch tab 70in the respective slot 72, where the catch tab 70 hooks around the rearedge of the slot 72 to create a hinge-joint whose horizontal pivot axislies along this rear edge of the slot. When the two sub-frames 52, 54are initially assembled in this manner, two sub-frames can thus bepivoted relative to one another between an open position in which thelower cross-member 62 of the front sub-frame 52 is swung away from thelower rim 68 b of the rear sub-frame 54 to open up access to theinterior space for placement of the sign 10 therein, and a closedposition in which the lower cross-member 62 of the front sub-frame 52and the lower rim 68 b of the rear sub-frame 54 are brought together toenclose the inserted sign 10 between the inwardly reaching legs of thefront sub-frame's skeletal members and the backing plate 66 of the rearsub-frame.

It will be appreciated that forwardly hooked catch tabs mayalternatively be placed on the front sub-frame for mating withcooperative slots on the rear sub-frame to achieve a similar hingedconnection by which the mounting frame can open or close in thisclam-shell style. It will also be appreciated that other means for apivotal connection may be employed, for example including use ofseparate hinge hardware rather than integrally formed slot and catchfeatures on the sub-frames that cooperatively form an effective hingejoint therebetween.

The bottom rim 68 b of the rear sub-frame 54 features a pair offorwardly-reaching extensions 74 positioned near the opposite ends ofthe bottom rim 68 b, for example in alignment with the hooked catch tabs70 at the upper rim 68 a. Each extension 74 terminates in a down-turnedfastening flange 76 at the distal end of the extension furthest from thebacking plate 66. The bottom cross-member 62 of the front sub-frame 52features an L-shaped cross-section, like those of the upper cross-member60 and side members 58, over most of the lower cross-member's length,with the exception of two extended fastening flanges 78 that aresituated near the ends of the lower cross member 62 in alignment withthe down-turned fastening flanges 76 of the rear sub-frame 54. Theextended fastening flanges 78 of the front sub-frame 52 are coplanarwith the inwardly reaching leg of the lower cross-member's otherwiseL-shaped cross-section, but extend further downward than the rest of thelower cross-member 62. When the clam-shell mounting frame 50 is closed,the extended fastening flanges 78 of the front sub-frame 52 abut againstthe down-turned fastening flanges 76 of the rear sub-frame 54.Accordingly, once the sign 10 has been placed inside the open mountingframe, the mounting frame is then closed, and the front and rearsub-frames are fastened together at the cooperating fastening flanges76, 78 to lock the mounting frame in the closed position securing thesign within the interior space thereof.

Some internal dimensions of the mounting frame slightly exceed thecorresponding external dimensions of the sign 10. The internaldimensions of the mounting frame include an internal height of themounting frame measured either between the top and bottom rims 68 a, 68b of the rear sub-frame 54, or between the rearwardly reaching legs ofthe upper and lower cross-members 60, 62 of the front sub-frame'sskeletal structure; an internal width of the mounting frame measuredbetween the side rims 68 c of the rear sub-frame, or between therearwardly reaching legs of the side members 58 of the front sub-frame'sskeletal structure; and an internal depth measured between the backingplate 66 of the rear sub-frame 54 and the inwardly reaching legs of theskeletal structure members at the plane of the window opening 64 in thefront sub-frame 52. The internal height and width of the mounting frameexceed the corresponding external dimensions of the sign 10, namely theexternal sign height measured from the topside of the outer seal's upperspan 40 a at to the top of the sign to the underside of the outer seal'slower span 40 b at the bottom of the sign 10; and the external signwidth measured from between the outer surfaces 40 c of the outer seal 40at the opposite sides of the sign 10. the sign also has externalthickness measured from the outer surface of the outer seal's front lip42 to the outer surface of the outer seal's rear lip 44. However, sincethe thickness is notably smaller than the height and width dimensions,it is less subject to significant thermal shrinkage and expansion incold and hot temperatures. Accordingly, the internal depth of themounting frame need not necessarily exceed the sign thickness, andalternatively may be equal to or slightly less than the sign thicknessto provide a conforming fit or slight interference fit in thisdimension.

The sign is safely retained within the mounting frame by the rearsub-frame's rim 68 and the front sub-frame's rearwardly reaching legs,which collectively span across the sides, top and bottom of the sign 10to block the sign from sliding upwardly, downwardly or laterally outfrom the mounting frame, and also by the inwardly reaching legs of thefront sub-frame that reach inwardly over the front lip 42 of the sign'souter seal 40 to cooperate with the backing plate 66 of the rearsubframe that lies behind the sign's rear panel 14 in order to block thesign from falling forwardly or rearwardly out of the mounting frame. Asdescribed above, the depth of the frame may be dimensioned for aconforming or interference fit with the sign in order to hold the signrelatively firmly therein, while the oversized height and length of theframe leave some open space around the frame. This way, the mountingframe 50 can be made of the same steel or other metal material as thebus shell and be rigidly mounted thereto, while plastic materials usedin the construction of the sign 10 itself can undergo thermal expansionand contraction in the height and width directions at different ratesthan the steel used in the mounting frame and bus shell.

Rivets 80 may be used to fasten the front and rear sub-frames togetherat the fastening flanges 76, 78 once the mounting frame has been closedwith a sign 10 placed therein. While threaded fasteners couldalternatively be used, rivets provide the advantage of not coming looseunder vibrational loads. To attach the mounting frame to the bus shell,the rear sub-frame 54 features a set of threaded mounting studs 82projecting from the backside of the backing plate 66, for example a setof four such studs 82 situated near the four corners of the backingplate 66. A set of mounting holes are drilled or otherwise formed in theshell of the bus in matching layout to the mounting studs 82. Aresiliently compressible gasket or bulb seal 84 is applied to thebackside 66 b of the backing plate 66, which forms a mounting surfaceplaced against the shell of the bus during installation of the mountingframe thereon.

The backing plate 66 includes an additional routing hole 32 d thereinthat aligns with those of the sign 10 to allow routing of the LED wiring28 or connector 30 rearwardly through the backing plate 66 from theinterior space of the mounting frame and onward through a drilled orotherwise formed routing hole in the bus shell. This routing of thewiring 28 or connector 30 enables connections of the sign's LEDs to thebus's electrical system via a suitable power adapter mounted inside thebus shell. As shown in FIG. 5, the gasket spans at least around theperimeter of the backing plate 66, including areas around the mountingstuds 82 and the electrical routing hole 32 d. This prevents leakage ofrain water or melted snow into the interior of the bus via the mountingholes, electrical routing hole or other openings in the bus shell thatmay be present behind the mounting frame. The gasket also providesvibration dampening to the installed mounting frame and the signcontained therein. When the sign 10 is placed inside the mounting frame.

With the gasketed backside 66 b of the backing plate 66 placed againstthe shell of the bus to insert the mounting studs 82 through theappropriately placed mounting holes in the bus shell, washers and nutsare engaged on the threaded mounting studs 82, and tightened against theinner surface of the bus shell, thereby drawing the gasketed backside ofthe mounting frame against the outer surface of the bus shell to form aweather tight seal therewith. This securely attaches the mounting frameto the exterior of the bus shell to indirectly support theself-contained illuminated school bus sign 10 thereon. The fastening ofthe nuts can be performed from the interior space of the bus, or if thewarning lights typically mounted beside the designated signage area havebeen removed or not yet installed, from the outside of the bus via thewarning-light mounting holes that are currently open. FIG. 8 illustratessuch installation of one sign at the designated front signage area abovethe front windshield of a school bus, and FIG. 9 illustrates matchinginstallation of another sign at the designated rear signage area abovethe rear emergency exit door of the school bus.

Since the sign 10 is mounted indirectly to the bus via the mountingframe, service or replacement of the sign can be performed withouthaving to remove the entire installation. With the mounting frame leftin place on the bus, service personnel can remove the rivets or otherfasteners that hold the mounting frame closed at the fastening flanges(e.g. by drilling out the rivets 80). The service personnel can thenopen up the two-piece clamshell mounting frame 50 to gain access to thesign 10, disconnect the connector 30 from the power adapter, and thenfully remove the disconnected sign 10 from the mounting frame. A newsign 10 can be lifted up into place, coupled to the power adapter viathe connector 30, and then placed into the opened mounting frame.Optionally, a fresh application of sealant around the electrical routinghole 32 d in the backing plate 66 of the mounting frame 50 may beprovided. New rivets or other fasteners are installed at the fasteningflanges to lock the mounting frame closed.

Signs may therefore be replaced in the event of failure, or can beswapped out for signs with different school bus indicia in the event ofan intended service type change from school bus to activity bus, or viceversa; or in the event that the bus is being transferred to a servicearea with different language requirements. In the event it is still inusable condition, the removed sign can be re-used either at a later timeon the same bus, or on a different bus, without the indirectly-mountedsign having been marred by any drilled holes or other defects that wouldotherwise be introduced by direct-mounting techniques.

Use of a separating mounting frame may also allow an installation-readysign product that can be used on an on-demand basis, particularly wherethe individual signs and mounting frames have been prefabricated toreduce lead time. For example, at the manufacturer or distributer level,a customer-ready product is only assembled once the customer specifiesthe particular sign type required (School Bus, Activity Bus, Ecoliers,etc.), at which point the manufacturer selects a sign of appropriatewording from among pre-fabricated signs, and combines it with apre-fabricated mounting frame of compatible shape and size. The selectedsign and frame can be pre-assembled by the manufacturer or distributor,by inserting the selected sign into the mounting frame and riveting orotherwise fastening the frame closed, and then shipping the assembledinstallation-ready sign product to the customer. Alternatively, theselected sign and frame can be shipped to the customer unassembled foron-site customer assembly. In another instance, instead ofpre-fabricating significant volumes of identically shaped butdifferently worded signs together with a significant volume of mountingframes compatible with that size and shape of sign, a supply of mountingframes can be pre-fabricated, while the signs are instead made atreduced volumes or on an as-needed basis in response to customer orders.Once again, lead times may be reduced compared to on-demand manufactureof a framed, customer-specific direct-mount sign.

What has been described is merely illustrative of some embodiments ofthe present disclosure. Other embodiments are possible and will now bedescribed. It will be understood that features from one or moreembodiments may be combinable with features from one or more otherembodiments without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

Referring to FIGS. 10A and 10B, in some embodiments, the sign mayinclude a camera capable of sending a video signal via wired or wirelessmethods, for example from the rear of the bus, to the driver or anintermediate transmitter for monitoring locally or remotely. In suchembodiments, a sign includes a camera 100 positioned approximatelyhalf-way across the width of the sign in a camera housing 102.Optionally, enclosed transmitter 104 is included to transmit the videosignal.

Alternatively, referring to FIGS. 11 and 12, the camera 100 may bemounted in the upper corner of the frame of the sign 10. The wiring forthe camera 100 may be integrated into the sign assembly 10, describedabove. The cabling is routed through a space 105, such as a channel orgroove, behind the seals from the camera 100 to the vehicle. The cablingor wiring for the camera 100 could then be connected to the electricalsystem of the bus by being passed through the same apertures used toprovide the wiring and power to the LED strips and panel of the signassembly.

Mounting of the camera 100 to the frame may be accomplished utilizingcamera mounting hardware 106, for example the illustrated screws, whichrun through the sign frame or by using an adhesive to the outsidesurface of the frame. Alternatively, or in addition, the camera 100 maybe held in place in a removable frame corner piece 108 of the frame.

Referring to FIGS. 13A, 13B, 14A and 14B, in some embodiments, the signmay include a photo sensor 200 which detects light conditions and aidscontrolling the illumination of the sign such that it is autonomouslyon/illuminated during low light level conditions. Such a sensor 200could be located anywhere practical on the outside of the frame 50 orsign assembly 10, for example the upper left corner as shown in FIGS.13A and 13B and the center top as shown in FIGS. 14A and 14B. The sensor200 may be installed with appropriate sealing to prevent moisture andother elements from entering the frame and/or sign assembly. If wired,the wiring from the sensor may be routed behind the seal through thesame apertures used to electrically connect the sign to the electricalsystem of the bus.

The sensor could also be used to control brightness of the sign based onthe amount of ambient lighting. In this embodiment, the sensor 200 woulddetect an amount of exterior ambient light and send a signal forcontrolling a brightness of the sign backlighting relative to the amountof detected light. This may allow for optimal backlighting in allconditions. The backlighting could be varied in several discrete stepsor by infinitely small steps relative to the sensor reading. Thebacklighting would be varied without input from a vehicle operator.

Referring to FIG. 15, in some embodiments, the brightness of the sign 10may be controlled by a multi-position or continuously variable switch300 and internal controls. The switch 300, as shown schematically inFIG. 15, may be integrated into the bus control panel, be originalequipment on the bus, or may be integrated into the sign 10 or aseparate sign controller.

In some embodiments, the sign may be illuminated in short periods tocreate a pulsating or strobe effect. The effect occurs for a set amountof time. It may be periodic or non-periodic. It may alternate between onand off states or on states with different brightness levels. It may betriggered by other devices on the bus, such as the depression of thebrake pedal.

Referring to FIG. 16, in some embodiments, the illuminated sign may useelectrical power and a separate module 400 located external to the signassembly that controls illumination. In some embodiments, this moduleincludes a printed circuit board that is attached to an enclosure 402that can be mounted internal to the vehicle on an interior of thevehicle shell 404. The enclosure may include a heat sink to dissipateheat generated by the electronics. In some embodiments, a cable 406 isused to connect the electronic module to the sign unit. By having theelectronic board internal to the vehicle, the risk of damage may belessened. Additionally, this may allow for the sign unit to be thinner.In some embodiments, the cabling is routed through a grommeted hole ofthe vehicle shell to aid in preventing any moisture or debris fromentering the vehicle. The electronic module 400 may be mounted usingadhesives or mechanical fasteners or other suitable methods depending onthe installation requirements of the vehicle to which the sign is beingmounted.

As discussed above, the illuminated sign 10 may have differentgeometries and indicia 20, translucent areas 22 and opaquely maskedareas 24, depending on the requirements and applications of the sign.One such additional embodiment of a sign 500 is shown in FIG. 17, with aback plate 502, LED strips 504, reflector 506, seal 508, acrylic backingplate 510 and front lens 512.

Other embodiments for mounting the combined sign and frame to vehiclesare also included in the present disclosure. Different embodiments maybe required depending on the configuration of the vehicle to which theframe is mounted. For example, some buses currently available mayinclude a chamber in the overhead section of the bus at the front andrear, with an interior planar surface which faces forward in the frontand backward in the rear of the bus. The chamber may have a sealedtransparent cover aligned with the outside surface of the bus whichallows the interior indicia to be visible to other vehicles approachingthe bus from either direction. This cover may be referred to as thefront surface regardless of whether it is on the forward or rear facingchamber of the bus. Embodiments of the self-contained illuminated signaccording to the present disclosure may be mounted in such a chamberaccording to one or more of the following methods.

Referring to FIGS. 18 and 19, the sign 10 may be mounted in the chamber600 using one or more brackets 602, which are attached to the sign 10and to the surrounding surface 604 parallel to the perimeter of the sign10 by means of threaded fasteners, adhesives, rivets, magnets, vacuumcups, or other known fastening methods.

Referring to FIGS. 20 and 21, in some embodiments, the sign 10 may beattached, utilizing any of the previously mentioned fasteners, to theinterior rear planar surface of the chamber 600 by means of anintermediate bracket 606 which provides both mounting and spacing of thesign from the surface to improve visibility. The intermediate bracket606 may be comprised of one or more pieces, which have sizes smaller orlarger than the sign itself. The pieces may be tubular, rectangular, orany other useful shape.

Referring to FIG. 22, in some embodiments, the sign may be attached,utilizing any of the previously mentioned fasteners, to the interiorfront transparent surface 608 of the chamber 600 by means of one or moreintermediate brackets 610. The intermediate bracket 610 may be comprisedof one or more pieces which are tubular, rectangular, or any otheruseful shape. In some embodiments, the bracket 610 attaches to the outerrim of the sign 10 in such a way that it does not interfere with thevisibility of the indicia 20. The pieces of bracket 610 may be ofdifferent lengths and profiles according to the shape of the transparentsurface 608 to facilitate vertical mounting of the sign.

Referring to FIG. 23, in some embodiments, the sign 10 may be surroundedat its perimeter with a frame material 612 of outer perimeter equal toor larger than the interior perimeter of the bus chamber 600. In someembodiments, the sign and the surrounding material 612 is installed intothe chamber 600. In some embodiments, the material 612 is flexibleenough that the installation can be completed without damaging the signand rigid enough that the sign is held properly in place duringoperation. The material 612 may be a foam, elastomer, or other suitablematerial. The material 612 may be fastened to the bus using any of thepreviously mentioned methods. The material 612 may be of various shapesincluding the shape of the chamber 600. The material may benon-homogenous or filled with a fluid.

Referring to FIG. 24, in some embodiments, the surface of the sign 10 ismounted flush to the bus shell 614 and held in place between atransparent material 608 on the outside surface of the bus and a backplate 616. In some embodiments, sealing occurs between the border of thetransparent material 608 and bus shell 614 by means of a gasket oro-ring.

Referring to FIG. 25, in some embodiments, the surface of the sign 10 ismounted flush to the bus shell 614. In some embodiments, the sign 10 isconnected to the transparent material 608 which is larger than theopening in the bus shell. In some embodiments, the transparent material608 is fastened to the bus shell. In some embodiments, sealing occursbetween the border of the transparent material 608 and bus shell bymeans of a gasket or o-ring.

Referring to FIG. 26, in some embodiments, the surface of the sign 10 ismounted flush to the bus shell 614. In some embodiments, the sign 10 isconnected to the back plate 616 which is larger than the opening in thebus shell 614. In some embodiments, the back plate 616 is fastened tothe bus shell 614. In some embodiments, sealing occurs between the backplate 616 and the bus shell 614 by means of a gasket or o-ring.

Other embodiments of mounting methods may be used to mount the sign 10directly on an exterior surface of a vehicle such as a bus. Attachmentbetween the sign or an intermediate frame, enclosure, or mountingbracket may be accomplished according to the following embodiments.

Referring to FIG. 27, in some embodiments, mounting of the sign may beaccomplished using a conical, spherical, or otherwise purposeful shapedobject 700 which extends from the sign, intermediate frame, signenclosure or mounting bracket, generally referred to as 702, through anaperture 703 in the vehicle shell or other surface 704 and expands anopposing flexible grommet 706, resisting removal once installed.

In some embodiments, attachment between the sign or an intermediateframe, enclosure, or mounting bracket with the bus shell may beaccomplished with the use of a magnet, adhesive, bonding or solidifyingmaterial.

Embodiments of framing or providing an intermediate bracket for the signmay also include enclosing or affixing the sign by means ofencapsulating with a transparent material (epoxy, overmolded, etc.) orenclosing or affixing the sign 10 with a single piece frame 800 whichpivots by means of a hinge 802, as shown in FIGS. 28A, 28B, 28C, 29A,29B, and 29C.

Referring to FIGS. 30A, 30B, and 31A, in some embodiments, a frame 900for the sign 10 may be comprised of three or more layered sub frames902, closed by means of bolts, rivets, adhesives, external clamping,magnets, or any other suitable fastening technique.

In some embodiments, the frame may be a single piece frame whereby thesign is enclosed by means of intentional deformation of the frame(crimping, stamping, pressing, etc.). In some embodiments, the singlepiece frame may be comprised of a malleable material which is routedaround the perimeter of the sign and is joined thereafter.

Referring to FIGS. 31B through 31E, in some embodiments a frame 904according to the present disclosure may be comprised of multiple framesections 906 that are connected together. As shown in the illustrativeembodiment, the sections 906 may be assembled to produce the frame 904having a shape that matches an outline of the sign. When assembled, theframe 904 has a front window that matches or corresponds to the shape ofthe front display area of the sign 10.

The frame 904 may be composed of horizontal sections 906 a and 906 bthat span lengths of a sign (e.g. sign 10) and vertical sections 906 cand 906 d that span the height of the sign on either side thereof.Corner sections 908 comply with the shape of the sign and connecttogether the horizontal sections 906 a and 906 b with the verticalsections 906 c and 906 d. In FIG. 31C, the corner section 908 is showntransparent. In FIG. 31D, the horizontal section 906 a is showntransparent.

Sections of the frame other than corner sections 908 may be termedelongated sections. The term elongated does not necessarily require thatthe section be straight. A curved elongated section, such as horizontalsection 906 a, would be considered elongated within the meaning of thepresent disclosure. In general, any sections other than corner sections,which are defined as sections that span a corner of 90 degrees or more,are considered to be elongated sections for the purposes of the presentdisclosure. Internal corner sections, such as the internal cornersections at the top of the sign in FIG. 31G are also included in thedefinition of corner sections.

In the illustrated embodiment, at least each elongated section comprisesan approximately L-shaped cross-section. When the sign is received inthe mounting frame, one arm of the L-shaped cross section is generallyparallel to an outer edge surface of the sign and the other arm of theL-shaped cross-section is generally parallel with a front surface of thesign, such as a front surface of the front display.

The frame 904 frame retains the sign 10 on the sign's front and outsideedges while constraining against either a back panel (not shown) or thevehicle itself depending on desired configuration. In the illustratedembodiment, the frame 904 has foam tape 910 between all contact pointswith the sign 10 to aid in dampening vibration and allowing for relativeexpansion of the sign 10. The frame 90 may be mounted via the cornerpieces 908 which are screwed into riv-nuts 912 that are mounted into thevehicle using bolts 911. There are sealing washers 914 that aid inpreventing leaks at these connection points. Other suitable means forconnecting corner sections 908 to the vehicle may also be used.

In the illustrated embodiment, the frame sections 906 are joined to thecorner sections 908 with screws 916 that pass through the respectiveframe section 906 and a jutting portion 918 that juts out from thecorner section and into the respective frame section 906 to which thecorner section is being connected. The frame sections 906 have acorresponding aperture 920 to receiving the jutting portion 918.

Referring to FIG. 31F, in some embodiments, an opening 922 in thevehicle shell is already present before installation of the frame 904.To accommodate, an additional intermediate plate 924 is included in theassembly to cover the opening 922 and provide an appropriate mountingsurface for the sign 10.

Referring to FIG. 31G, in some embodiments, one or more retention plates926 are included behind the vehicle shell in order to attach the sign 10without drilling any holes in the shell. To this end, the shell has apre-existing opening 922. Nuts 923 behind the retention plates 926 maybe used to connect the sign 10. A mounting plate 928 with studs 930 isalso included, studs 930 entering corresponding apertures in the vehicleshell. It will be noted that the configuration of frame 904 in FIG. 31Gincludes additional frame sections 906 and corner sections 908 in orderto create a frame 904 that corresponds to the desired shape of the sign10.

Yet further embodiments of an illuminated sign according to the presentdisclosure will now be described.

Referring to FIG. 32, in some embodiments, a sign 1000 utilizes severalstrips of LEDs 1002 combined with an optical diffusion sheet 1004 toprovide approximately uniform illumination for the entirety of the signfront lens 1006. In some embodiments, there is a clear plastic spacer1008 in front of the LEDs 1002 that provide a gap between the diffusionsheet 1004 and the LEDs 1002. In some embodiments, the LED strips 1002are adhered directly to the back plastic panel 1009. In someembodiments, there is an additional spacer 1010 which permits the clearspacer 1008 to not directly contact the LED strips 1002. In someembodiments, the diffusion sheet 1004 is a film which is applied to thefront side of the clear plastic spacer 1008. In some embodiments, thefront lens 1006 with the inscribed indicia is the final component of thesign 1000. In some embodiments, a silicone seal 1012 encloses the edgeof the sign unit between the layers and prevents dust and moisture frompenetrating the unit. In some embodiments, the LEDs 1002 are powered byan electronic source located externally to the sign and inside thevehicle the sign will be mounted to. In some embodiments, the diffusionfilm 1004 acts to moderate the bright and dark spots provided by theindividual LEDs on the rear mounted strips.

Referring to FIG. 33, in some embodiments, a sign 1100 is fullyilluminated by means of an embedded electroluminescent panel 1102 whichprovides illumination across the entire profile of the sign unit 1100and for the front lens 1101. In some embodiments, the electroluminescentpanel 1102 is connected to a controller inside the vehicle whichprovides the correct electrical power. In some embodiments, theelectroluminescent panel 1102 is adhered to the back plastic panel 1104via an adhesive sheet 1106 and the sign unit is sealed together via aperimeter silicone seal 1108. In some embodiments, due to theflexibility of the materials utilized, the sign 1100 could be used inapplications that are not flat.

In some embodiments, the sign may be capable of being blacked out toproduce a blacked-out sign (BOS) where the indicia are temporarily nolonger visible. BOS is used here synonymously with a sign which is notlegible. In such embodiments, illuminated signs according to the presentdisclosure may be able to be switched from legible to BOS when desired,such as when the sign is powered off.

In some embodiments, the BOS uses edge lighting technology, for examplewhen the light is directed into the plane of a light diffusive plate,such as an etched acrylic plate, from the edges towards the center ofthe sign unit. The light reflects from the etched areas on the diffusiveplate and the areas that are not etched reflect significantly loweramount of light. This principle may be used in the BOS.

Thus, referring to FIG. 34, in some embodiments, a sign 1200 may becomprised of a back panel 1202, which acts as protective cover on theback of the sign unit; a reflective layer 1204, which reflects the lightfrom the back of the diffusive plate; LED Strips 1206 (light source, LEDstrips usually attached to aluminum substrate for better heatdissipation); a diffusive plate 1208, which diffuses the light uniformlyby reflecting the light from the etched areas 1209 on the back of thediffusive plate 1208, a colored lens 1210 (tinted or painted lens thatdefines the color of emitted light and/or legend/indicia that appears onthe sign); and front cover lens (not shown), which protects the internalcomponents of the BOS. Non-etched areas 1211, such as the letters thatspell out SCHOOL BUS, on the diffusive plate 1208 do not reflect thelight or reflect less light than the etched areas 1209. Some edging maybe printed on the front cover lens to hide internalcomponents/transition lines.

When the BOS is not lit, the legend that is not etched on the acrylicdiffusive plate (in the illustrated embodiment “SCHOOL BUS”) can bebarely visible through the front lens. When the BOS is lit up, thelegend that is not etched on the acrylic diffusive plate remains dark,but the etched area reflects light.

Other embodiments of an illuminated sign are also within the presentdisclosure. For example, when vehicles, such as school buses, stop andallow passengers to exit the vehicle, a stop arm is displayed to warnother drivers on the road to stop and allow the passenger to cross theroad. The drivers on the road which are following the bus must lookaround the left side of the bus to see the stop arm. It is possible thatthe driver will either drive to the left in his existing lane or committo passing the bus prior to seeing the stop arm. Thus, in someembodiments, the present disclosure provides a sign at the back of thebus that indicates the actions of the bus in a multiple message sign,such as, for example, “Caution”, “Stopping”, and “Do Not Pass”.

In some embodiments, this sign combines two units that light upindependently and show different legends with different backgroundcolors depending on the circumstances. In some embodiments, this signmay utilize a configuration and components similar to the BOS signdescribed above.

Referring to FIG. 35, in some embodiments, a sign 1300 may include aback panel 1302, first LED strips 1304, second LED strips 1306,reflective layer 1308, light diffusive plate 1310 with etched areas 1309and non-etched areas 1311, first translucent lens 1312, secondtranslucent lens 1314, a permiter seal 1316 and a clear front cover lens1318. Only first LED strips 1304 may be activated when only the etchedareas 1309 a behind the first translucent lens 1312 are to be lit up.Similarly, only second LED strips 1306 may be activated when only theetched areas 1309 b behind the second translucent lens 1314 are to belit up. Moreover, first and second translucent lenses 1312, 1314 may beprovided with the different colouring so as to create a different visualimpression depending on which LED strips are activated. For example thefirst translucent lens 1312 overlayed on the words “CAUTION STOPPING”may have an orange tint while the second translucent lens 1314overlaying the words “STOP” and “DO NOT PASS” may have a red tint.

It will be understood that through placing of LED strips, varying of thenumber and shape of translucent lenses and varying the etched areas ofthe diffusive plate, a wide variety of desired combinations of messages,colouring and lighting may be achieved, all of which are within thepresent disclosure.

Other locations for illuminated signs according to the presentdisclosure are also possible. For example, service vehicles, such asbuses, often use a marking to indicate information such as, in the caseof buses, their route #, bus #, or other bus specific indicia. Often,the indicia changes more frequently than is practical for painting orapplying decals to the exterior of the vehicle. In some embodiments, asign which mounts on the inside window of the vehicle is illuminated dueto its visibility and ability to quickly modify the sign indicia.

Such an illuminated sign, for example, a route sign, may be comprised ofthree main components: a light source, a mounting frame and areplaceable lens.

Referring to FIG. 36, in some embodiments, the light source 1400comprises a back panel 1402, which acts as a protective cover on theback of the sign unit; a reflective layer 1404, which reflects the lightfrom the back of the diffusive plate; LED strips 1406, which might beattached to aluminum substrate for better heat dissipation; a seal 1408that protects internal components from water and dust ingress, and adiffusive plate 1410 that diffuses the light uniformly.

Such a light source 1400 may be combined with a mounting frame suitablefor mounting to the interior or exterior of a vehicle. For example, insome embodiments, there is provided a frame that mounts to internalsurfaces of the vehicle (side wall, panels, windows) for internalapplications, or external surfaces of the vehicle for externalapplications.

Referring to FIG. 37, in some embodiments, the mounting frame 1500 maybe a frame for mounting on the internal or external surfaces of avehicle window using suction cups 1502. Other embodiments that arewithin the present disclosure include a mounting frame that uses doubleside adhesive, glue, fasteners and other suitable mounting means.

The mounting frame 1500 is affixed to the light source 1400 and/or thelight source 1400 is inserted into the pre-assembled frame 1500. Theframe 1500 also includes a groove or channel 1504 that is dimensionedand sized to receive a replaceable lens 1600, which may have variousbackground colors, indicia and other features to accommodate a varietyof purposes, for example a route number, “School Bus” sign, “ActivityBus” sign etc. In the illustrated embodiment, the replaceable lensincludes indicia indicating a route number of “88”. The replaceable lenscan be slid in or out of the groove 1504 to install and uninstall thelens, respectively.

In some embodiments, a self-contained illuminated sign is constructedsimilarly to the embodiment described above with respect to FIGS. 1 to3, but the front panel is replaced with a transparent panel and anadditional front lens with indicia attached to the transparent panel.Thus, referring to FIG. 38, a sign 1700 may include many or all of thesame components as the sign 10 described above that make up a lightingsection 1701 (i.e. a section that results in illumination), such as rearpanel 14, sealing strip 38, reflective backing sheet 19, second adhesivetape strips 36, light dispersion panel 16, wiring 28, and first adhesivetape strips 34, but with the front panel being replaced with atransparent panel 1702 and an additional front lens 1704 with indiciaattached to the transparent panel 1702, for example, using a transparentadhesive or other suitable means.

Referring to FIG. 39, in other embodiments, a front panel 1708, similarin construction to the front panel 12, but larger in size than thelighting section 1701, is adhered to the lighting section 1701. Thefront panel 1708 may not only be larger in size than front panel 12 andlighting section 1701 but also of a different shape or otherconfiguration. The front panel 1708 may be affixed to the lightingsection 1701 using adhesive tape 1706 or with other suitable means, suchas a transparent adhesive. In some embodiments, the adhesive tape 1706is considered to be part of the lighting section 1701.

Both of the embodiments shown in FIGS. 38 and 39 may be installed andused with a suitable variation of the frame 50 as described in respectof FIGS. 4 to 6. However, the embodiments of FIGS. 38 and 39 may also beinstalled and used without a frame 50 and using other means. Forexample, referring to FIG. 40, the sign 1700 (according to either FIG.38 or 39) may be installed using an intermediate bracket (not shown) toattach the lighting section 1701 to the vehicle, such as the bus. Anadditional rear, flexible bracket 1712 may be used to connect thelighting section 1701 to the front panel 1708 or the transparent panel1702 with cover lens 1704 applied. Such a rear bracket 1712 extendswidthwise beyond the edges of the lighting section 1701 with anextension 1714 that include adhesive or other suitable fastening methodsfor attaching to the front panel 1708 or transparent panel 1702.Similarly, adhesive or other suitable fastening means connect a backingportion 1716 of the rear bracket 1712 to the rear panel of the lightingsection 1701.

In yet further embodiments, the front lens (i.e. a front panel such asfront panel 1708 or translucent panel 1702 with lens 1704 applied) maybe used in a vehicle but not directly attached to the lighting section.Thus, in some embodiments, the front lens and lighting section are eachseparately attached to the vehicle.

In yet further embodiments, the lighting section 1701 may not include arear panel, such that the light dispersion panel is directly mounted tothe shell of the vehicle. Such a connection may be made by any suitablemeans, such as adhesive, fastening, etc. One or more separate mountingbracket may also be used for mounting the light dispersion panel to theshell of the vehicle. Appropriate sealing and/or vibration reducingelements may be included between the light dispersion panel and theshell of the vehicle.

Referring to FIGS. 41 and 42, in some embodiments, a sign 1800 may becomprised of a separate front lens 1802 and a lighting section 1804,which are both separately installed in a cavity 1806 or a surface of avehicle, such as a bus. In the illustrated embodiment, a gap 1808 ispresent between the front lens 1802 and lighting section 1804. The frontlens 1802 is adhered or otherwise fastened to a jutting portion 1809that juts from a front portion 1810 of the cavity 1806 thatcircumscribes the cavity 1806 and acts as a perimeter thereto. Thelighting section 1804 may be connected to an interior surface 1812 ofthe cavity 1806 using a bracket 1814 with known or suitable fasteningmeans. There may be one or more connection points between the lightingsection 1804 and the cavity 1806. In the illustrated embodiment of FIG.41, four such fastening points are shown. In some embodiments, anoptional gap 1816 is present between the front lens 1802 and thelighting section 1804.

Referring to FIGS. 43 to 47, in some embodiments according to thepresent disclosure, there is provided an illuminated sign system 1900that includes an illuminated sign, such as the illuminated sign 10 and apower regulator system 1902. The power regulator include a system ofelectronics that creates a regulated supply to power the multiple LEDsin the sign 10. This regulated supply allows for consistent illuminationregardless of the electrical power supplied by the vehicle to which thethe sign is mounted. Additionally, the protection of the regulatedsupply allows for an extended lifetime of the LEDs as they will bealways powered within their optimum range. The application of thisregulation also has the effect of a greater efficiency when the powersupplied from the vehicle is greater than nominal.

In a typical automotive system the power supplied by the vehicle canhave fluctuations which can cause adverse affects to LEDs. By regulatingthe power the LEDs are protected for damaging events that woulddrastically shorten their usable lifetime. The electronics are mountedin-line between the power supplied by the vehicle and the LEDs.

While shown enclosed in a separate component (such as separate module400) in FIG. 43, in some embodiments, the power regulator system 1902could also be incorporated into the sign 10 in whole or in part. Forexample, the power regulator system may be installed, in whole or inpart, between the front and rear panels of the sign 10. Some componentsof the power regulator system 1902 could be incorporated into the sign10 while other components could be positioned on an interior of thevehicle or on an opposite side of the shell of the vehicle from the sign10.

When positioned externally of the sign 10, the power regulator system1902 is operatively connected to the sign 10 via, for example, cabling1904 which is fed through one or more openings in the vehicle shell andsign 10, as described above.

The power regulator system 1902 provides a desired power to the sign forconsistent illumination and is configured to accept fluctuating powerfrom an electrical system of the vehicle and to output the desiredpower.

Referring specifically FIG. 44, in some embodiments, the power regulatorsystem 1902 includes the following modules: first transient protectionmodule 1906, first over/under voltage protection module 1908, firstreverse voltage protection module 1910, voltage regulator 1912, shortcircuit protection module 1914, second over/under voltage protectionmodule 1916, second reverse voltage protection module 1918, and secondtransient protection module 1920. The load 1922, e.g. the sign 10, isalso shown in FIG. 44.

First over/under voltage protection module 1908 and first reversevoltage protection module 1910, as well as, in some embodiments, firsttransient protection module 1906, may be considered to be an inputvoltage protection module 1924, which is configured to protect againstover voltage, under voltage and reverse voltage input to the voltageregulator 1912. Similarly, second over/under voltage protection module1916 and second reverse voltage protection module 1918, as well as, insome embodiments, second transient protection module 1920, may beconsidered to be an output voltage protection module 1926, which isconfigured to protect against over voltage, under voltage and reversevoltage output to the sign 10.

Example circuits for the input voltage protection module 1924, thevoltage regulator 1912 and the output voltage protection module 1926 areshown in FIGS. 45 to 47, respectively.

In some embodiments, the power regulator system is configured to output7.2V at 3.5 A. In embodiments where the illumination brightness of thesign is to be adjusted during operation, such as in embodiments where aphoto sensor that detects ambient light aids in automaticallycontrolling the brightness of the sign, the power regulator system mayinclude a controller, or a controller may be combined with the powerregulator system, to cause the power regulator system to outputdifferent voltage and/or current levels depending on the desiredbrightness of illumination.

Furthermore, while the illustrated embodiments show voltage regulationmodules, it will be understood that the power regulator system may usecurrent regulation modules and/or a combination of voltage and currentregulation modules to regulate the power being supplied to the sign.

During intended use of the illuminated sign, weather conditions mayresult a buildup of snow and/or ice and/or condensation on the lens ofthe sign which impedes the visibility of the indicia. Referring to FIG.48, in order to prevent and/or reduce this impediment, a sign 2000 mayinclude a heating element 2002 in the construction of the sign. Theheating element 2002 may be positioned between the rear panel 2004 and afront panel 2006. In the illustrated embodiment, the front panel is acombined front panel and light dispersion panel. The heating element2002 may also be included in embodiments of the sign 2000 that do notinclude the rear panel and where the lighting section is mounteddirectly to a vehicle. Seal 2008 may be provided between the front panel2006 and rear panel 2004 to seal the space therebetween.

Methods related to the above-discussed embodiments, such as methods ofmanufacturing, producing and/or providing a sign, an illumination sourceand/or a mounting frame are also within the present disclosure.

Other embodiments are also within the present disclosure.

In some embodiments, there is provided a self-contained illuminatedschool bus sign comprising:

a front panel defining a front display side of said sign;

a rear panel situated opposite the front panel in spaced relationtherefrom to define a rear side of said sign;

an LED based light source that comprises a plurality of LEDs, is fullycontained in a space between said front and rear panels, and ispositioned to emit light from the sign through the front panel;

opaquely masked indicia areas on the front panel that are encompassedwithin a surrounding transparent or translucent area and that spell out“school bus”, “activity bus” or other indicia representative of anintended use of said sign; and

coloured material occupying or overlying the transparent or translucentareas of the front panel, whereby the front panel is backlit by thefully contained LED based light source to display the opaquely maskedindicia in contrast with illumination of the surrounding transparent ortranslucent area.

In some embodiments, there is provided, in combination, a self-containedilluminated school bus sign and a separate mounting frame that ismountable on a shell of a bus and in which the self-containedilluminated school bus sign is selectively receivable to enable indirectmounting of the sign to the shell of the bus by attachment of theseparate mounting frame thereto, said self-contained illuminated schoolbus sign comprising a front panel defining a front display side of saidsign and an on-board light source supported independently of the bus andindependently of the separate mounting frame in a backlighting positionbehind said front panel to emit light through said front panel in manneremphasizing indicia that are visible at the front side of said sign.

In some embodiments, there is provided a method of preparing school bussigns for use in different intended school bus applications, said methodcomprising:

having access to a plurality of prefabricated mounting frames that areconfigured for mounting to a bus shell and that share a matchingconfiguration that is compatible with a standardized size and shape ofsign;

according to a particular intended school bus application, either:

-   -   (i) producing a particular self-contained illuminated school bus        sign having particular indicia thereon dictated by said        particular intended school bus application; or    -   (ii) selecting a particular self-contained illuminated school        bus sign from among a plurality of prefabricated self-contained        illuminated school bus signs that share said standardized size        and shape, but have different indicia thereon representative of        said different intended school bus applications; and

combining said particular sign with any one of said plurality ofprefabricated mounting frames, whereby the combination of saidparticular sign with said any one of the plurality of prefabricatedmounting frames creates an application-ready mountable sign product bywhich attachment of the mounting frame to the bus shell indirectlysupports the particular sign thereon.

In some embodiments, there is provided a system for modular assembly ofdifferently worded school bus signs for use in different intended schoolbus applications, said system comprising:

a plurality of self-contained illuminated school bus signs sharing acommon size and shape, including at least a first group of signs havinga first type of indicia thereon representative of a first type ofintended application for said first group of signs, and a second groupof signs having a differently worded second type of indicia thereonrepresentative of a different second type of intended application forsaid second group of signs;

a plurality of mounting frames of matching configuration compatible withthe common size and shape shared by the plurality of signs for selectivereceipt of any of said plurality of signs in any of said plurality ofmounting frames, each mounting frame being configured for mounting to abus shell;

whereby preparation of an installation-ready sign product for aparticular bus application is achievable by selection of an appropriatesign from the different groups, and combination of the selected signwith any one of the mounting frames.

Since various modifications may be made to the embodiments of thepresent disclosure as herein described it is intended that all mattercontained herein shall be interpreted as illustrative only and not in alimiting sense.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A system for supporting a self-containedilluminated sign on a vehicle, the system comprising: a self-containedilluminated sign, the sign being configured as a weather-sealed, singleunit containing: a front display area, and a light source built into thesealed single unit and configured to emit light that emanates from thefront display area such that, in operation, the front display areadisplays indicia; and a separate mounting frame mountable on a vehiclefor supporting the sign on the vehicle, the mounting frame having aspace for removably receiving the sealed sign as a single unit and beingconfigured to surround at least a portion of perimeter of the sign whilepermitting visibility of the front display area, when the sign isreceived in the space.
 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the mountingframe comprises a front sub-frame and a rear sub-frame cooperativelymated or mateable together to define the space in which the sign isreceivable, the front sub-frame having a window opening therein throughwhich the front display area is visible.
 3. The system of claim 2,wherein the front and rear sub-frames are pivotally connected orconnectable to one another for pivotal movement between an open positionaway from one another and a closed position.
 4. The system of claim 3,wherein the front and rear sub-frames comprise mating or mateable hingefeatures by which the front and rear sub-frames are directly coupled todefine an integral hinge permitting the pivotal movement.
 5. The systemof claim 4, wherein the mating or mateable hinge features comprise atleast one slot in a perimeter edge of one of the sub-frames and a matingcatch tab received or receivable in a manner hooked about an edge of theslot.
 6. The system of claim 2, wherein a pivotal connection between thesub-frames resides at a first perimeter edge of the mounting frame and,at one or more other perimeter edges thereof, the mounting framecomprises cooperating fastening flanges on the sub-frames that projectoutwardly to maintain closure of the mounting frame.
 7. The system ofclaim 2, wherein the front and rear sub-frames are fastened together inthe closed position.
 8. The system of claim 1, wherein one of themounting frame and a vehicle shell comprises a plurality of mountingstuds projecting therefrom for penetrating mounting holes in the otherof the mounting frame and the vehicle shell and for mounting themounting frame to the vehicle.
 9. The system of claim 8, wherein themounting studs are threaded for mating with co-operably threaded nuts onan opposing side of the shell or mounting frame to fasten the mountingframe to the vehicle shell.
 10. The system of claim 1, wherein themounting frame comprises a channel dimensioned to mate with at least aportion of the perimeter of the sign.
 11. The system of claim 1, furthercomprising one or more sections of flexible material, wherein, when thesign is received in the mounting frame, the sections of flexiblematerial are positioned between and in contact with the sign and themounting frame to at least partially absorb vibrations.
 12. The systemof claim 1, wherein the mounting frame is comprised of a single sectionor a plurality of sections that are assembled to produce the mountingframe in a shape corresponding to an outline shape of the sign.
 13. Thesystem of claim 12, wherein the plurality of sections comprise elongatedsections and corner sections.
 14. The system of claim 13, wherein themounting frame is mountable on the vehicle by mounting one or more ofthe corner sections or elongated sections on the vehicle.
 15. The systemof claim 12, wherein each elongated section comprises an approximatelyL-shaped cross-section, such that, when the sign is received in theassembled mounting frame, one arm of the L-shaped cross section isgenerally parallel to an outer edge surface of the sign and the otherarm of the L-shaped cross-section is generally parallel with a frontsurface of the sign.
 16. The system of claim 12, wherein, whenassembled, the mounting frame has a front window that corresponds to theshape of the front display area.
 17. The system of claim 1, wherein themounting frame is configured such that, when the mounting frame is usedto mount the sign on the vehicle, the mounting frame retains the sign bypressing the sign against a portion of the vehicle or an intermediateplate installed on the vehicle.